Neck for banjos and the like musical instruments



Dec. 29, 1925.

1,567,359 W. H. DE. wlcK Trag/few Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. DE WICK, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

NECK FOR BANJ'OS AND THE LIKE MUSCAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed September 19, 1922.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, VILLIAM H. DE WICK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Neck for Banjos and the like Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to stringed musical instruments of the type wherein the strings are stopped by pressure of the fingers of the operator. i j

Instruments of the type to which the 1nvention may be applied, are those of the banjo types. A ,f

The objects of the infvention are to provide an instrument of the character described, in which the neck and fingerboard is readily removable; in which the neck and fingerboard is adjustable relatively to the head, deck or belly, as the case may be, of the instrument; in which the neck and fingerboard are rigidly secured in any de sired position.

These and further objects will more fully appear in the following specification and accompanying drawings considered together or separately.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the acompanying drawings, in which like parts in all of the several figures are designated by corresponding characters of reference, and in which Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a. banjo embodying the invention. t

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings 1 designates the hoop or wall member of a banjo to which is secured a neck 2 having the usual ngerboard 3 which projects over a parchment head 4. The head is stretched over an inner annular wall or support 5 by means of hooks 6 engaging a ring 7 The support 5 is preferably constructed of wood, and is carried on a. resonator or sounding board 8 which latter is of circular form and secured in position within the hoop and spaced below the plane of the head 4. The sounding board is set inward a considerable distance from the bottom of the hoop whereby the space ,surrounded by the hoop is divided into two cylindrical compartinents with theslrpport within the larger.

serial No. nanas.

The outside diameter of the annular support 5 is somewhat less than the inside diameter of the hoop whereby an annular space 9 is formed between the hoop and support.

Carried by the support 5 in parallel relation to the sounding board is a diaphragm 10 preferably of wood having a circular opening 11 in the center thereof. A circular rim 12 also preferably of wood encircles the opening 10, and the upper edge thereof is on a plane higher than th-e plane of the upper edge of the support 5, as shown in Fig. 2 whereby when the head is stretched over the support, that portion of the head within the area bounded by the rim 12 will be under the maximum tension, and the bridge 13 preferably rests upon this area.

Strings 14 anchored to the usual tail piece 15 pass across the head 1-, positioned therefrom by the bridge 12, along the neck 2 to the usual tuning pegs (not shown).

The Shanks of the hooks 6, instead of passing through brackets bolted to the exterior surface of the hoop 1, pass downward through the annular space 9 and through the sounding board 8, and are set up, to drawl the head down over the support 5, by means of nuts 16 or other suitable devices, and said nuts lie entirely within the compartment below the resonator 8 where there will be no danger of their being broken or otherwise injured., and where they will not come in con-1 tact with the person, or the clothing of the performer.

The sound waves set up at the lower side of the head will be reflected by the resonator 8 through openings 17 in the support 5 and thence outward through the annular space 9, and the resonance of the rim 12, diaphragm 10 and resonator 8 will be added to that of the head.

The diaphragm 10 may be provided with any number of circular grooves 18 whereby rims 12 of different diameter may be employed.

It is to be understood that lthe plane of the upper edge of the hoop may be placed on any desired plane relatively to the head.

Secured, as by means of screws, to the exterior surface of the hoop 1 at a point diametrically opposite the tail piece 15 is a member,preferably of metal, comprising a body portion 22 and a projecting flange 23 on three of its sides. Pivoted within the space bounded by the flange, on axially alinea removable trlmnons 24:, which .may

be screwed into opposite portions of the lange 23, is a plate 25 having a projecting lip 26 at its lower portion. The plate has an enlargement at its upper end, and 'said enlargement is perforated to receive the alined trunnions 24E. Said pla-te is adapted to lie within the space bounded by the flange 23 with the lip 26 extending outwardly, and the neck may be secured to the plate and lip, by wood screws, as shown.

The body portion ot the member 2 is providedA with a threaded opening 2'? into which is threaded a. hollow bolt 28 having a non-circular head 28a at one end thereot' and the bore thereotl is unthreaded. Vl`he bolt 28 passes through the hoop l with its head within the recess in which the nuts 16 are disposed. The opposite end of the bolt 28 engages against the pivoted plate 25 at adistance from its pivot whereby the anguiar position ot -the plate, and the neck carried thereby may be adjnsted.

A bolt 29 passes through the bore of the bolt 28 and engages a screw threaded opening in the plate 25 the head oi the bolt 29 will engage the end ot the head 28a ot the tubular vbolt 28 and by screwing the bolt 29 into the opening inthe plate 25 the said plate will be drawn into intin'iate engagement with the end of bolt 29 and the latterrwill be jammed between the plate and the head of bolt 29. The bolt 2S cannot now be rotated and the said plate and neck may be firmly locked in the desired position.

Then it is desired to adjust the neck and fingerboard relatively to the plane ot the head l the bolt 29 is backed outward 'from the opening in the plate 25 and the tubular bolt 28 is unlocked and capable ot being rotated.V A wrench is new applied to the head of the tubular bolt 28 and the same is rotated in the direction to move 'the inner end of the lingerboard toward or away from the head et as desired. lVhen the lingerboard is in the desired position, the bolt 29 is driven into the threaded opening in the plate or leaf 25 to Vjam the latter against the end ot the bolt 29 and the neel; will be rigidly 'secured in position by the engagement of the plate 25 with one end of the bolt 28 and the head of the bolt 29 `engaging the opposite end thereof. The jamming of the bolt 28 between the plate 25 and the head or' the bolt 29 will prevent turning of former in either direction whereby the latter will be locked in position. The bore of the bolt 28 is greater in diameter than the bolt 29 whereby the latter may be moved to agree with the pivotal movement ot the plate 25.

When it is desired to remove the neck 'from the body ot the instrument, the bolt 29 is backed out of the threaded perforation in ,the plate :25 ,and the trmmions 2i are ref moved from the `perforation in the opposite end of the same. The neck will now be free ot body except for the strings and may be laid over on the body for economy in packing.

The invention is illustrated and described in connection with a. banjo, but it is to be understood 'that it may be carried out in connection with other instruments of the same general type without departing from the spirit or scope of tne invention.

in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes the principle ot the invention has been described, together with the apparatus which is now considered to represent the best embodiment thereof, but it is desired to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out in other ways.

The invention having been described, Vwhat is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. A musical. instrument of the character described, comprising a body, a neck projecting outwardly trom the body and pivoted thereto, and means i'or pivoting the neck in either direction to adjust the angular relationship between the neck and body, said means acting to secure the neck in the adjusted position against movement in any direction. Y

A musical instrument oit the character described, comprising a body, a member secured to the outside of the body, a plate pivoted to the member, a neck rigidly secured to the plate,l means for pivoting the plate relatively to the member, aid means acting to lock the member against movement.

A irmsieal instrument of the character described., comprising a body, a member secured to the outside oit the body, a plate pivoted to the member, a neck rigidly se cured to Vthe plate, a bolt engaging a vthreaded opening in the member and engaging the plate to swing the same on its pivot, and a bolt, engaging a threaded opening in the plate to lock the plate in engagement with the tirst mentioned bolt.

a. A musical instrument of the character described, comprising a body, a member secured to the outside of the body, a plato pivoted to the member, a neck rigidly secured to the plate, a tubular bolt engaging a threaded opening in the niemeer and engaging the plate to swing the same on its pivot, and a boltr passing through the bore ott the tubular bolt and engaging a threaded opening in the plate to lock the plate in engagement with the tubular bolt.

A musical instrument ot the character described, comprising a body, a member secured to the outside otjthe body, a vplate pivoted to the memberD a neck rigidly se- Cil eured to the plate, a tubular bolt engaging a threaded opening in the member and engaging the plate to swing the same on its pivot, and a bolt passing through the bore of the tubular bolt and engaging a threaded opening in the plate to look the plate in engagement. with the tubular bolt, the heads of the bolts being within the body.

6. A musical instrument of the character described, comprising a body, a member rigidly secured to the outside of the body, a. pair of spaced perforated projections on the member, a plate having a perforation in one end thereof, a pair of removable elements each passing through the perforation in a projection, said elements being in axial alinement and each engaging in one end of the perforation in the plate whereby the latter is pivoted to the member, a neck rigidly secured to the plate and perpendicular thereto, a threaded perforation in the plate at right angles to the first mentioned perforation therein, a threaded perforation in the member and of greater diameter than threaded perforation in the plate and in axial alinement therewith, a tubular bolt threaded in the member perforation with its end engaging the plate, a second bolt lying within the bore of the tubular bolt and engaging the threaded opening in the plate, the head of the last mentioned bolt engaging the head of the tubular bolt whereby the tubular bolt will be locked against ro tation.

This specification signed and witnessed this 14th day of Sept., 1922.

l/VILLIAM H. DE VICKA 

